Fishing rod holder with automatic hook setter

ABSTRACT

A fishing rod holder with automatic hook setter embodies a supporting frame having a rod holder operatively connected thereto and adapted for vertical pivotal movement. One end of a trigger rod is pivotally connected to the supporting frame with the other end of the trigger rod extending forwardly beneath a fishing rod supported by the rod holder. A fishing rod support member is carried by the forward end of the trigger rod and is movable therewith selectively to a lower inoperative position and to an upper operative, hook setting position. One end of a jerk rod is pivotally connected to the supporting frame. The other end of the jerk rod extends forwardly and is urged upwardly toward the trigger rod by a resilient member. A releasable connector assembly operatively connects the jerk rod to the trigger rod and is operable to hold the trigger rod in the inoperative position until the fishing rod support member carried thereby is moved downwardly and is then operable to release the jerk rod from the trigger rod so that it is urged upwardly to move the trigger rod and the fishing rod to the hook setting position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a fishing rod holder with automatic hooksetter and more particularly to such a device which is operable tosupport a fishing rod until it is moved downwardly in response to a pullon the fishing line by a fish, whereupon the front end of the fishingrod is then jerked upwardly to a hook setting position.

Heretofore in the art to which my invention relates, various deviceshave been proposed for moving a fish hook to a hook setting position atthe time a fish strikes. However, such devices have been complicated instructure and are very difficult to operate and maintain in satisfactoryworking order.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the above and other difficulties, we provide a fishing rodholder with automatic hook setter which is simple of construction,economical of manufacture, and one which is easily operated andmaintained in working order with a minimum of effort.

Our improved fishing rod holder with automatic hook setter embodies asupporting frame having a rod holder supported therefrom for verticalpivotal movement and in position to support the handle end of a fishingrod. One end of a trigger rod is pivotally connected to the supportingframe with the other end of the trigger rod extending forwardly beneaththe fishing rod supported by the rod holder. A fishing rod supportmember is carried by the forward end of the trigger rod and is movabletherewith selectively to a lower inoperative position and to an upperoperative position or hook setting position. A jerk rod is pivotallyconnected at one end to the supporting frame with the other end of thejerk rod extending forwardly and upwardly toward the trigger rod.Resilient means urges the other end of the jerk rod upwardly toward thetrigger rod. A releasable connector assembly connects the jerk rod tothe trigger rod and is operable to hold the trigger rod in aninoperative position until the fishing rod support member carried by thetrigger rod is moved downwardly. The connector assembly is then operableto release the jerk rod from the trigger rod whereby it is urgedupwardly to move the trigger rod and the fishing rod to the hook settingposition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

A fishing rod holder with an automatic hook setter embodying features ofour invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a fishing rod supported by ourimproved device with the fishing rod being shown in the hook settingposition in dotted lines;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, showing theautomatic hook setter in the hook setting position with the fishing rodholder and fishing rod being omitted, for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly broken away and in section,showing the automatic hook setter in the inoperative position in solidlines and in the operative, hook setting position in dotted lines;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view taken generally along the line 4--4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view, partly broken away and taken generally along theline 5--5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a fragmental view, taken generally along the line 6--6 of FIG.3;

FIG. 7 is a fragmental view, partly broken away and in section, showingthe releasable connector assembly which operatively connects the jerkrod to the trigger rod and showing the cam roller in an intermediateposition with its pivot pin positioned above the trigger rod a distanceequal the radius of the cam roller;

FIG. 8 is a fragmental view corresponding to FIG. 7 showing the camroller at a high sensitivity position wherein its pivot pin is locatedabove the trigger rod a distance greater than the radius of the camroller;

FIG. 9 is a view corresponding to FIGS. 7 and 8 showing the cam rollerat a low sensitivity position with the pivot pin of the cam rollerlocated above the trigger rod a distance less than the radius of the camroller; and,

FIG. 10 is a fragmental view, partly broken away and in section, showingthe means for adjustably connecting the fishing rod support member tothe forward end portion of the trigger rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of ourinvention, we show a supporting frame 10 which is mounted for pivotalmovement on a base frame 11 by a suitable pivot pin 12, as shown in FIG.3. The pivot pin 12 is provided with a threaded upper end portion forreceiving a suitable retaining element, such as a wing nut 13. The baseframe 11 is shown as being mounted on a depending anchor member 14 whichmay be inserted into the earth 15, as shown in FIG. 1, to support thefishing rod holder adjacent a body of water. While we have shown thebase frame 11 as being anchored to the ground, it will be apparent thatthe base member 11 could be mounted on a boat, dock or other suitablesupporting structure.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the supporting frame 10 comprises arectangular bottom wall 16 which is connected to upstanding side walls17 and a rear wall 18. The forwardmost side of the supporting frame 10is open, as shown. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, a pin-like member 19extends transversely of the supporting frame 10 with opposite ends ofthe pin-like member 19 projecting through suitable openings 21 providedin the upstanding side walls 17. An enlarged lower portion 22 of atrigger rod 23 is supported for pivotal movement on the transversepin-like member 19, as shown. The enlarged portion 22 of the trigger rod23 is preferably formed of a plastic-like material while the remainingportion of the trigger rod 23 may be formed of a suitable metal.

As shown in FIG. 5, the lower end of an upstanding support member 24 issecured to the enlarged portion 22 of the trigger rod 23 near itspivotal connection to the supporting frame 10. The upper portion of theupstanding support member 24 is in the form of a laterally extendingupper end portion 26 of a length to extend horizontally throughoppositely disposed aligned openings in a sleeve-like rod holder 27which is in position to support the handle end 28 of a fishing rod 29.The transverse upper portion 26 also defines a stop which is in positionto limit rearward movement of the handle end 28 of the fishing rodrelative to the rod holder 27. It will thus be seen that the rod holder27 is adapted for vertical pivotal movement relative to the upper endportion 26 of the upstanding support member 24 and is also adapted formovement with the upstanding support member 24 from the solid lineposition shown in FIG. 1 to the dotted line position. A suitable tensionspring 31 is interposed between the rod holder 27 and the upstandingsupport member 24, as shown in FIG. 1, to limit free pivotal movement ofthe rod holder 27 after the handle portion 28 of the fishing rod isremoved from the rod holder. That is, the tension spring 31 urges therod holder 27 toward the upstanding support member 24 whereby it remainsin this position until it is again moved upwardly to receive the handleportion 28 of the fishing rod.

As clearly shown in FIG. 10, the forward portion of the trigger rod 23is provided with an opening 32 therethrough for receiving an elongatedfishing rod support member 33 which is in position to extend generallyperpendicular to a fishing rod 29 after it is positioned within the rodholder 27. The upper portion of the elongated fishing rod support member33 is provided with an upwardly opening recess 34 for receiving thefishing rod 29 after its handle portion 28 has been inserted into therod holder 27, as shown in FIG. 1. The upwardly opening recess 34 may bedefined by bending the elongated rodlike member 33 downwardly and thenupwardly to provide a generally U-shaped recess, as clearly shown inFIG. 5. It will thus be seen that the fishing rod support member 33 isadapted to move with the trigger rod 23 selectively to a lowerinoperative position and to an upper operative position so that thefishing rod supported by the rod holder 23 may be moved upwardly to ahook setting position in a manner to be described hereinafter.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a jerk rod 36 is pivotally connected at oneend to the supporting frame forwardly of the pivotal connection betweenthe trigger rod and the supporting frame with the other end of the jerkrod 36 extending forwardly and upwardly toward the trigger rod 23, asshown in FIG. 3. The jerk rod 36 is shown as comprising a pair offorwardly converging arms 37 having outturned end portions 38 which passthrough suitable openings provided in the upstanding side walls 17 ofthe supporting frame 10. The forwardmost end of the jerk rod 36 is urgedupwardly toward the trigger rod 23 by resilient means, such as a pair ofelastic bands 39 which pass around suitable rollers 41 mounted on thetransverse pin-like member 19 at opposite sides of the enlarged portion22 of the trigger rod 23, as clearly shown in FIG. 5. Extendingtransversely of the upper ends of the jerk rod 36 is a transverse member42 having outwardly projecting end portions 43 in position to receivethe upper ends of the elastic bands 39, as shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6.

Releasable means indicated generally at 44 is operable to connect theupper, forwardmost end of the jerk rod 36 to the trigger rod 23 inposition to hold the trigger rod 23 and the fishing rod support member33 carried thereby in an inoperative position and operable to releasethe jerk rod for movement relative to the trigger rod in response to thedownward movement of the forwardmost end of the trigger rod by downwardmovement of the fishing rod support member 33 so that the jerk rod isurged by the resilient means in a direction to move the trigger rod 23and the fishing rod 29 supported by the fishing rod support member to ahook setting position. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6-9, the releasable meansoperable to connect the forward end of the jerk rod 36 to the triggerrod 23 is shown as comprising an upstanding trigger element 46 carriedby the trigger rod 23 adjacent the uppermost end of the trigger rod andspaced rearwardly of the fishing rod support member 33, as shown in FIG.3. An inverted U-shaped member 47 having a base 48 and depending legs 49is carried by the forwardmost end of the jerk rod 36, as shown. Thedepending legs 49 extend along opposite sides of the trigger rod 23, asshown in FIG. 6, with the lower ends of the depending legs being securedto the forwardmost end of the jerk rod 36. As shown in FIGS. 6-9, a camroller 51 is eccentrically mounted for rotation between the dependinglegs 49 on a transverse pin 52 located above the trigger rod 23 inposition to move selectively to a first position adjacent the forwardside of the trigger element 46 to restrain upward movement of the jerkrod 36 and to a second position above the trigger element 46 to releasethe forwardmost end of the jerk rod 36 for upward movement intoengagement with the trigger rod 23 to move the trigger rod upwardly toits operative position so that the fishing rod supported by the rodholder 33 is moved upwardly to the hook setting position. The cam roller51 is held at selected angular positions to vary the sensitivity of therelease of the cam roller 51 from the trigger element by a threadedmember 53 which passes vertically through a suitable threaded openingprovided in the base 48 of the U-shaped member 47. The threaded member53 is in position for its lower end to move selectively toward and awayfrom the cam roller to position the cam roller at selected angularpositions, as shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. A suitable knob 54 is securedto the upper end of the threaded member 53 whereby it may be rotated inopposite directions to move the lower end of the threaded memberselectively toward and away from the cam roller 51. As shown in FIGS. 7,8 and 9, the cam roller 51 is mounted eccentrically on its pin-likemember 52 and a compression spring 56 is located between the knob 54 andthe base 48 of the U-shaped member 47 to retain the threaded member 53at selected vertical positions relative to the cam roller 51. It willthus be seen that the more the threaded member 53 is moved toward thecam roller 51, the easier it is to release the releasable triggerelement. That is, with the cam roller in the intermediate position shownin FIG. 7, the pivot pin 52 is positioned above the trigger rod adistance equal substantially the radius of the cam roller whereby amoderate amount of downward force on the fishing rod 29 will release thetrigger mechanism.

To increase the sensitivity of the trigger mechanism, the knob 54 isrotated in a direction to move the threaded member 53 downwardly towardthe cam roller 51 to the position shown in FIG. 8 whereby the pivot pin52 is then located above the trigger rod a distance greater than theradius of the cam roller.

To lower the sensitivity of the trigger mechanism, the knob 54 isrotated in a direction to move the threaded member 53 upwardly relativeto the cam 51 to the position shown in FIG. 9 whereby the pivot pin 52of the cam roller 51 is located above the trigger rod a distance lessthan the radius of the cam roller.

From the foregoing description, the operation of our improved fishingrod holder will be readily understood. The supporting frame 10 issecured to a suitable supporting structure, such as by inserting theanchor member 14 into the ground 15. The trigger rod 23 and the jerk rod36 are then moved downwardly in a clockwise direction, as viewed inFIGS. 1 and 2 whereby the trigger rod and jerk rod are moved from theposition shown in FIG. 2 to the solid line position shown in FIGS. 1 and3. As the cam roller 51 is moved upwardly over the trigger element 46,the inverted U-shaped member 47 is pressed downwardly which causes thecam roller 51 to rotate about its pivot pin 52 to the position shown inFIG. 7 as it moves over the forwardmost end of the trigger element 46.The knob 54 is then rotated in the desired direction to either increaseor decrease the sensitivity of the trigger release means, as describedhereinabove. That is, by rotating the knob 54 to vary the sensivitity ofthe release means, the amount of downward force on the fishing rodsupport member 33 to release the trigger mechanism may be readilyvaried. After a fish strikes the hook carried by the fishing lineattached to the fishing rod, the tip of the fishing rod is moveddownwardly whereupon force is then exerted through the fishing rodsupport member 33 to the trigger rod 23 whereupon the cam roller thenmoves over the top of the trigger element 46 to release the jerk rod 36for pivotal movement upwardly into engagement with the trigger to thusmove the fishing rod 29 from the solid line position to the dotted lineposition shown in FIG. 1. That is, the jerk rod 36 and the trigger rod23 move from the solid line position shown in FIG. 1 to the positionshown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, the fishing rod 29 is moved upwardly tothe hook setting position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1. To resetthe fishing rod holder and its automatic hook setting means, the aboveprocedure is repeated.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that we have devised an improvedfishing rod holder with automatic hook setter which is extremely simpleof construction, economical of manufacture and one which may be operatedand maintained with a minimum of effort.

While we have shown our invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications without departing from the spiritthereof.

What we claim is:
 1. A fishing rod holder with automatic hook settercomprising:(a) a supporting frame, (b) a rod holder operativelyconnected to said supporting frame in position to support the handle endof a fishing rod and adapted for vertical pivotal movement relative tosaid supporting frame, (c) a trigger rod pivotally connected at one endto said supporting frame with the other end of said trigger rod beingadapted to extend forwardly beneath a fishing rod supported by said rodholder, (d) a fishing rod support member carried by a forward portion ofsaid trigger rod in position to support a fishing rod and move with saidtrigger rod selectively to a lower inoperative position and to an upperoperative position so that the fishing rod supported by said rod holderis moved upwardly to a hook setting position, (e) a jerk rod pivotallyconnected at one end to said supporting frame forwardly of the pivotalconnection between said one end of said trigger rod and said supportingframe with the other end of said jerk rod extending forwardly andupwardly toward said trigger rod, (f) resilient means urging said otherend of said jerk rod upwardly toward said trigger rod, (g) releasablemeans operable to connect said other end of said jerk rod to saidtrigger rod in a position to hold said trigger rod and said fishing rodsupport member carried thereby in said inoperative position and operableto release said jerk rod for movement relative to said trigger rod inresponse to downward movement of said other end of said trigger rod bydownward movement of said fishing rod support member so that said jerkrod is urged by said resilient means in a direction to move said triggerrod and the fishing rod supported by said fishing rod support member tosaid hook setting position.
 2. A fishing rod holder with automatic hooksetter as defined in claim 1 in which said supporting frame is mountedfor pivotal movement on a base frame.
 3. A fishing rod holder withautomatic hook setter as defined in claim 1 in which said rod holder isa sleeve-like member pivotally connected to the upper portion of anupstanding support member with the lower portion of said upstandingsupport member being secured to said trigger rod adjacent its pivotalconnection to said supporting frame.
 4. A fishing rod holder withautomatic hook setter as defined in claim 3 in which said upstandingsupport member is a rod-like member having a laterally extending upperend portion of a length to extend horizontally through oppositelydisposed aligned openings in said sleeve-like member to define a pivotsupport for said sleeve-like member and a stop in position to limitrearward movement of said handle end of a fishing rod relative to saidsleeve-like member.
 5. A fishing rod holder with automatic hook setteras defined in claim 1 in which said fishing rod support member comprisesan elongated member extending generally perpendicular to said triggerrod and adjustably connected thereto with the upper portion of saidelongated member being provided with an upwardly opening recess forreceiving the fishing rod.
 6. A fishing rod holder with automatic hooksetter as defined in claim 1 in which said resilient means urging saidother end of said jerk rod upwardly toward said trigger rod comprises atleast one resilient member operatively connected at one end to saidother end of said jerk rod with the other end of said resilient memberbeing operatively connected to said supporting frame.
 7. A fishing rodholder with automatic hook setter as defined in claim 6 in which saidresilient member is an elastic member.
 8. A fishing rod holder withautomatic hook setter as defined in claim 6 in which at least onelateral projection is carried by said other end of said jerk rod inposition to be connected to one end of said resilient member with theother end of said resilient member connected to a transverse membercarried by said supporting frame.
 9. A fishing rod holder with automatichook setter as defined in claim 1 in which said releasable meansoperable to connect said other end of said jerk rod to said trigger rodcomprises:(a) an upstanding trigger element carried by said trigger rodadjacent said other end thereof and spaced rearwardly of said fishingrod support member, (b) an inverted U-shaped member having a baseconnected to spaced apart depending legs which extend along oppositesides of said trigger rod with the lower ends of said depending legssecured to said other end of said jerk rod, (c) a cam rollereccentrically mounted for rotation between said depending legs andextending transversely above said trigger rod in position to moveselectively to a first position adjacent the forward side of saidtrigger element to restrain upward movement of said jerk rod and to asecond position above said trigger element to release said other end ofsaid jerk rod for upward movement into engagement with said trigger rodto move said trigger rod upwardly to said operative position so that thefishing rod supported by said rod holder is moved upwardly to said hooksetting position, and (d) means to hold said cam roller at selectedangular positions to vary the sensitivity of the release of said camroller from said trigger element.
 10. A fishing rod holder withautomatic hook setter as defined in claim 9 in which said means to holdsaid cam roller at selected angular positions comprises:(a) a dependingthreaded member in threaded engagement with a threaded opening throughsaid base in position for the lower end of said threaded member to moveselectively toward and away from said cam roller to position said camroller at said selected angular positions, and (b) means to rotate saidthreaded member in opposite directions to move said lower end thereofselectively toward and away from said cam roller.
 11. A fishing rodholder with automatic hook setter as defined in claim 9 in which saidcam roller is mounted eccentrically on a pin-like member extendingbetween and supported by said depending legs of said U-shaped member.